'Former Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes says he is worried about putting on public displays of affection with his husband Richard Cullen because of the stigma that still exists around same-sex relationships.

'I'm out, I'm married, I'm a 'celebrity' and I still feel unsafe holding hands in many public situations. That's a reality,' he wrote.

Dears: Former Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes says he is scared to hold hands with his husband Richard Cullen in public because of the sexual stigma that still exists around same-sex relationships

The Brisbane native, who shot to fame with guitarist Daniel Jones in their Aussie band, opened the discussion after American funny man Riley Silverman asked if any other same sex couples had ever felt 'uneasy just for minor PDA' with their partner.

'If you’re an out queer person in a ‘liberal bubble’ city, RT this if you’ve felt uneasy or threatened just for minor PDA with your partner,' he wrote on Twitter.

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Last year, Darren called on Malcolm Turnbull to take action to support gay marriage in the wake of the Orlando massacre.

The singer penned a poignant open letter to the Australian Prime Minister in which he spoke about how his battle with anxiety and self-hatred almost cost him his life.

Opening up: The Brisbane native opened the discussion after American funny man Riley Silverman asked if any other same sex couples had ever felt 'uneasy just for minor PDA'

Poignant: Last year, Darren called on Malcolm Turnbull to take action to support gay marriage in the wake of the Orlando massacre

He said that being able to marry Richard in California in 2013, five years after taking part in a civil partnership ceremony in London, 'probably saved my life'.

'I can tell you first hand - being able to marry the person I love and to live in countries where my marriage is recognized - probably saved my life,' he wrote.

'I struggled tremendously with anxiety and depression related in part to my sexuality and growing up in a time when to be gay felt to me like a death sentence.

'I was bullied, I was tormented and eventually I convinced myself the person my mother gave birth to was something to be ashamed of.

Moving letter: The singer shared the letter on his Facebook page along with this picture of him and his husband Richard

Moving on: The singer has released five albums since launching his solo career in 2002

'I buried my sense of self and in turn developed a sense of self-hatred and shame that almost cost me my life.'

He said he was able to survive thanks to therapy and the support of his family and friends.

'I survived. I learned to accept who I was in spite of living in a world that did not feel accepting to me,' he said.

'That time has passed. It is 2016 and it's time for Australia to get on the right side of history too.'

His marriage came just six years after Darren revealed to friends and family that he was gay.

Darren urged Mr Turnbull to scrap 'a planned plebiscite at the time' and spend the $160million on mental health care for those who are depressed or suicidal as a result of prejudice.

The Brisbane native said he felt sad that his marriage certificate means nothing in his country of birth.

Outspoken star: He tweeted a link to the open letter, saying: 'I am calling you out Malcolm Turnbull'

Action needed! He urged Mr Turnbull (pictured) to scrap the plebiscite and spend the $160million on mental health care for those who are depressed or suicidal as a result of prejudice

'As a gay Australian who has proudly represented his country globally, it saddens me that my marriage is recognised both in the United Kingdom and in the United States but means nothing in my country of birth,' he wrote.

'I wish I could use my good fortune and the attention my career has given me to be an example of hope for young LGBT Australian youth.

'Instead, the message my marriage and my coming out sends LGBT Australians is — if you want to be equal you'll need to live in another country. That is not a message I want to send.'

Darren shared the letter to his 300,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter three days after the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando which claimed the lives of at least 49 people.

He urged Mr Turnbull to go beyond just sending a message of sympathy in the wake of the shooting.

'I understand you personally support equal marriage and you have condemned and sympathised with the victims of these recent hate crimes and I commend you for that,' he said.

History: Darren found fame in Savage Garden with guitarist Daniel Jones in the 1990s. The pair are seen above together in 1998

'Unfortunately you also lead a government who to this day refuses to grant equality to all. While you have expressed a desire to change this — the reality is LGBT Australians are suffering daily from discrimination which fuels hate ideology and by default — a deep sense of shame and rejection.

'This profoundly affects their lives negatively on a daily basis — whether that be their mental health or their physical safety.'

He ended his letter by saying the plebiscite, which was at the time planned for the end of 2016 if the Coalition is returned to government, is redundant

Darren said: 'I urge you to combine those qualities to lead your party to come up with 160 better uses for 160 million dollars than to ask a redundant and quite frankly insulting question the nation and much of the world has already answered.

'You yourself have already answered it. The answer is YES. Yes to equality.'

This is not the first time he has used his celebrity platform to campaign for equal rights.

Darren took to Facebook to urge his followers not to vote for Donald Trump in the forthcoming elections because of claims he may overturn same sex marriage laws.

'I'm tired of of men in suits telling women what to do with their bodies and happy families like mine and Richard's that we are a stain on this world,' he wrote.

'Prior to a huge shift in public thinking, I lived for years in shame, hating myself and sometimes so depressed I wanted to leave this planet,' he wrote.

Darren shot to fame with guitarist Daniel Jones in their band Savage Garden, topping charts in Australia and America in the late 1990s.